Hallelujah!

This is a view of the skylight above my bed. I have been sad lately that the sun has not been able to welcome me into my room, as it normally does. I think I have been missing my normal dose of vitamin D.


This is a view of our master bedroom from the hallway door. The vaulted ceilings with skylights were a big part of why we bought this house. Nick and I painted this room a warm yellow color and the sky was the inspiration for the blue accents.


This is my favorite thing in our bedroom. It's a picture of Nick and I waiting for our families in front of the Colosseum, after our wedding last April. I love the contrast of the green of the trees on the blue sky. The frame matches our furniture really well too. I also love being reminded of our times in Rome and Paris.

:)Cara

Relaxing after a long day at work

I began to make my valentimes (I love how kindergartners say that) for my class today... yes, I know Valentine's day was 3 days ago. We're not celebrating until Friday because of the snow days. So, of course, it took me this long to make them. I decided to make them bright, cheerful, and simple this year.

Maddie helping

We had a two hour delay today, but I'm still exhausted. We have a 2 hour delay tomorrow and Friday too. We're definitely easing back into it.

Nick, Cara, and Mr. Teddy watching the Olympics

Go USA!

:)Cara

What a Mess

Today is my last day before going back to the daily grind. Schools have a 2 hour delay tomorrow morning (at least we're easing back into it).

So, I decided to organize my basement closets. Well, I've been thinking about it for a while really. Right now the contents of my storage room, storage closet, and basement family room closet are all semi-organized in the outer rim of my basement (It has to get worse before it gets better, right?).

I made piles of things to put into the different closets and have things lined up by the door to take to good will. I also cleared off a spot on the couch for "the Morgie."

This was a forced organization because Nick had taken everything out of the storage closet the other day, so I could use it to paint in (see picture of brown cabinets below). All of the things from the storage closet needed a home and I hadn't been happy with their original ones.

My organization plan:
-put up shelves in the basement family room closet, to house Nick's computer and "gadgety" things and my "crafty" things
-leave big storage shelves in the storage closet for extra random house supplies
-leave space in the storage closet for painting... possibly on my new brown table
-put Christmas, Halloween, Nick memorabilia, and Cara memorabilia in the attic
-leave house paint and tools on the tool shelf in the storage room.... hopefully eventually make the storage room more inviting with some white paint all over the cinder block walls

I would feel guilty about having such a mess, but even Martha Stuart has problems with her closets.... Martha's Blog ...kind of. I'm wishing my closets looked like her "messy" ones right now.

..off to relax on the couch with my puppy and hubby.

:)Cara

Home Projects Galore!

Since school has been out for the past 10 days, I have had plenty of time to finish old/start new home projects.

Nick had started priming our bright pink/red main floor bathroom a couple weeks ago. After priming the bathroom three more times (do the next owners a favor and Never paint a bathroom bright pink/red!). I painted it a super light blue called "Dew Pointe" by Freshaire Choice. It looks very pretty and calming. We are going to paint the chair rail, mirror, and cabinet so they look more modern. We also need to replace the bathroom sinks and faucets.. eventually.


A few weeks ago, I painted our basement bathroom from a bright bright green that we had inherited to another calming blue called "Tranquil Pond" by Freshaire Choice. Despite the fact that these paints supposedly have no VOC's, Nick and I agree they are still pretty stinky. I guess the smell wasn't as offensive or lingering as normal paint though.


Since moved in a year and a half ago, we have replaced the carpet upstairs and in the basement, the dinning room light fixture, the basement stairs light fixture, basement light fixtures, towel bars, toilet paper holders, all of the bathroom light fixtures and 3/4 of the bathroom mirrors.

Now we have painted all of the bathrooms. We have also painted all three bedrooms, hallway leading upstairs, and the basement. Phew!

We have eventual plans to paint the dining room/living room areas and kitchen, the jury's still out on which color(s) "we" want.

I have begun painting the bathroom cabinets "Coffee Bean" by Eddie Bauer. I've decided to paint other random stuff this color too, to coordinate the rooms. I started with this random unfinished table that I had. I'll figure out what I'm doing with it later...


I also bought paint "Cape Honey Flower" by Olympic Paints to eventually paint the kitchen cabinets. The tired 80's oak definitely needs a face lift.

I just love what a little (or, in my case, a lot of) color can do!

:)Cara

Happy Valentimes Day!

Nick and I celebrated this Valentine's Day with a shopping spree at Nest (an organic store in River Hill), sushi at Sushi King (where I was given my origami rose with our bill, too cute!), planting seeds for our future garden, and checking some things off our honey "du" list.

I told Nick all I wanted for Valentine's Day was for him to help me finish painting our middle floor bathroom and start painting our cabinets. He sanded down the basement bathroom cabinets in order for me to paint them. I did one coat of paint and he surprised me with the idea of going to get a gong that I had wanted from Nest. I love the idea of announcing meals with a gong.


Once we got to Nest, I also saw this vase, which apparently is meant to be a coffee mug, and I fell in love with that too. The vase is sitting on my dinning room table with my origami rose in it for now. My plan is to put some of my flowers from my future garden in it, if this snow ever melts!


I hope you had a great Valentine's Day too!

:)Cara

Snowed In

Two blizzards have hit my home within the past week. For once, I'm not exaggerating. These blizzards have brought on an unexpected (and well deserved :-) vacation. With all my free time indoors my creative juices have been flowing. I've also had the free time to research things I'm interested in that don't deal with work.


Hence, Cara's Catch All.

:)Cara